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sympathy

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noun American English pronunciation: sympathy /ˈsɪmpəθi/ 
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singularsympathy
pluralsympathies
  1. 1
    [uncountable] a natural feeling of kindness and understanding that you have for someone who is experiencing something very unpleasant

    The movie describes, with considerable sympathy, the problems faced by economic migrants.

    It’s his own fault, so he’s not getting any sympathy from me.

    have/feel sympathy (for):

    We all have great sympathy for the victims of the flood.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  sympathyThesaurus entry for this meaning of sympathy
  2. 2
    [uncountable] agreement with, or support of, a group, idea, plan, etc.
    sympathy with/for:

    Do you have any sympathy with his point of view?

    be out of/in sympathy with someone/something:

    The school should be entirely in sympathy with these aims.

    Darwin himself had little sympathy for these ideas.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  sympathyThesaurus entry for this meaning of sympathy
    1. a.

      sympathies

       [plural] support or approval for ideas, beliefs, or people

      journalists with left-wing sympathies

      someone’s sympathies lie with someone:

      Their sympathies automatically lay with Britain’s enemies.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  sympathyThesaurus entry for this meaning of sympathy

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This is the American English definition of sympathy. View British English definition of sympathy.

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